Human Trafficking Archives | Faculty of Education

Titan rescue efforts raise questions about whether migrants’ lives are also worth saving

mmvs — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 16:52:09 +0000

_{Migrants swam next to their overturned wooden boat during a rescue operation by Spanish NGO Open Arms at south of the Italian Lampedusa island at the Mediterranean sea, Aug. 11, 2022. Francisco Seco/Associated Press}

For travelers aboard the Titan, high-stakes travel was elective; submersible tourism was billed as a ‘thrilling and unique travel experience’ on the company’s website. ‘High-cost, high-risk’ travel for migrants is, by contrast, more fraught.

The world has been captivated this week by a search for the Titan, a missing submersible carrying five passengers. Rescue crews from the United States, Canada, and beyond joined forces in an operation that experts compared to a “.” All available resources and technology were deployed in an attempt to save those aboard — a British billionaire, a father and son from a preeminent Pakistani family, a French maritime expert, and the CEO of OceanGate, the company that designed the submersible.

While we mourn the lives lost and take inspiration from this extraordinary effort, the rescue operation raises questions about a differential valuation of human life. The political will and resources devoted to trying to save the wealthiest among us far outweigh those directed at trying to rescue the thousands of migrants and asylum seekers who have also been lost at sea in their search for safety.

In 2022, . Last week, . Of course, the total number of migrants attempting to immigrate by sea is unknown — unless they are apprehended and detained, or their bodies are recovered, their stories will never be told.

The passengers aboard the Titan are part of a growing industry of “high-cost, high-risk” travel, sought out by the uberwealthy. With “” (), those able to pay can push the boundaries of human travel — bringing tourism to space, the South Pole, or the depths of the ocean floor.

“High-cost, high-risk” travel for migrants is, by contrast, more fraught. When migrants and asylum seekers step into the hastily crafted wooden dinghies destined for the Florida coast or Mediterranean ports, they are fleeing gender-based violence in Haiti, political persecution in Belarus, and forced gang-recruitment in El Salvador, among others. Their journey seeking safety is often as haunting as the circumstances they fled. They face the possibility of trafficking and exploitation en route, the risk of capsizing and drowning, and, in perhaps the best of circumstances, the possibility of being apprehended and detained by law enforcement agencies that often have . Yet they take these risks because they’ve determined that staying behind is more dangerous.

For travelers aboard the Titan, and those like them, high-stakes travel is elective; submersible tourism was billed as a “” on the company’s website. Self-funded excursions into dangerous terrain beg few societal questions about who bears the burden of rescue in the case of emergency. Migrants and asylum seekers take to the sea because they view it as their only hope of escape and survival; a chance that can cost them tens of thousands of dollars. Unlike their much wealthier counterparts, the money they spend on travel often puts them in debt for decades. And, while politicians debate immigration policy, few questions are asked when , as happened recently off the coast of Greece.

Another striking contrast can be found in the global response to this week’s lost submersible. The Titan search and rescue mission was an admirable display of transnational partnership, with a French robot deployed in Canadian waters under joint military operations, US and Canadian aircraft, and British surveillance. By contrast, when migrants go missing at sea, politicians argue that search and rescue missions are an ill-advised . Ironically, was so appalled by migrant drownings in the Mediterranean that he bought a boat and took to personally rescuing migrants. But the world can’t rely on the beneficence of a wealthy few to carry out the obligations of governments.

Some might argue that the actions taken by those aboard the Titan were, while perhaps reckless, legal — whereas migrants often seek safety in other countries without proper authorization. Still, suggesting that death is an appropriate consequence for unauthorized migration is as morally and legally indefensible as turning a blind eye to the Titan’s disappearance. It also discounts the historically complex ways in which US and other transnational policies are implicated in global migration.

We extend our condolences to the passengers’ families. We also hope that the “” undertaken in this rescue will be extended to the next group of Venezuelan migrants capsized off the coast of Miami or Afghani refugees adrift in the Mediterranean Sea.

Sarah Sherman-Stokes is a clinical associate professor of law and associate director of the Immigrants’ Rights and Human Trafficking Clinic at Boston University School of Law. Rachel Silver is an assistant professor at �첥��Ƶ’s Faculty of Education and Centre for Refugee Studies in Toronto.

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Alumni Spotlight: Mikhaela Gray-Beerman (BA '14, MEd '18)

coopsa — Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:14:01 +0000

Alumni Spotlight was originally published on the Alumni & Friends blog on July 29, 2021.

Mikhaela Gray-Beerman (BA '14, MEd '18), one of York’s Top 30 Changemakers Under 30, is an anti-trafficking advocate, researcher, and educator, as well as a non-profit consultant. The work she does is informed by the many inspiring women and girls who have entrusted their stories with her.

Human trafficking is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the world, and there is no community that is immune from this injustice.

"When my mom was in elementary school, her best friend went missing,” says Mikhaela. “About eight years ago, they were reconnected, and my mom began to learn her story. At the age of 14, my mom’s friend was trafficked for sex in Canada.” When she heard the story, Mikhaela was shocked and heartbroken. She began asking questions and doing research to better understand the realities of human trafficking. The more she learned, the more she was compelled to fight this injustice and to find ways to prevent other people from being trafficked locally and globally.

In 2013, Mikhaela joined United Freedom, an anti-human trafficking committee, to raise awareness and funds for a local and a global anti-trafficking organization. Through their events, she learned about an organization called in India. The work they were doing to support individuals post-trafficking was unparalleled. “I hoped to learn from their efforts and share their practices in Canada in order to strengthen our approaches to reintegration and rehabilitation,” she explains.

While completing her Master of Education at �첥��Ƶ, Mikhaela travelled to India to visit Mahima Homes and listened to the stories of women and girls who had been trafficked as part of her thesis research. “They shared their stories of resilience and their dreams for the future. The freedom fighters - the women and girls who shared their stories with me - inspired me through their courage, their desire to support others, and their outlook on life.”

Upon returning to Canada, Mikhaela was invited to share with the Federal Government learnings from her research on human trafficking in India with the Standing Committee on Justice and Human Rights. “It was a privilege and honour to be invited to advocate on behalf of the women and girls who had entrusted me with their stories,” she confesses.

“During the following months, I was deeply troubled in my workplace and volunteer settings; I felt disconnected from my purpose. I believe the most important thing in life is relationships, and after the tragic passing of , I was moved by the immeasurable impact that she made in her 20 years of life. I wondered, “How can I use my time, skills and knowledge to fight for justice and to love other people authentically?” Shortly afterward, I left my career in the post-secondary sector to work in an environment where I could raise awareness on human trafficking and journey alongside survivors full-time.”

Today, Mikhaela is an anti-trafficking advocate, educator and researcher. She helps raise awareness as a preventive measure and conducts research to disseminate new knowledge on human trafficking. She connects with individuals who have been impacted by trafficking and supports organizations that are dedicated to ending exploitation in various ways.

In January 2020, she launched a and more recently a called Freedom Fighters: Code Gray which aims to inform the public on human trafficking and empower them to take action to prevent human trafficking in their communities.

“I believe that it is incredibly important to support survivor-led initiatives and to use our time and resources to partner meaningfully with individuals who have lived experience.”

Mikhaela is now the chair of Untied Freedom, serves as an advisory team member at , and as a board member at , a survivor-led organization committed to ending sexual exploitation in Canada. She is currently working as a consultant for and . Mikhaela has been published in the Journal for Teaching & Learning, and she authored a chapter in the book Global Citizenship Education: Challenges and Successes recently published by the University of Toronto Press. Whether it’s interacting with individuals impacted by sex trafficking and sexual exploitation through care outreach, doing research, advising anti-trafficking organizations or doing advocacy work, she is always looking for ways to make herself useful in the fight to end human trafficking. “My work is rooted in the belief that every human being has value and worth,” Mikhaela explains.

“If you look at the sheer statistics of human trafficking in the world, it can be overwhelming. I want to highlight that each number represents a different person with a unique story and dream for the future. We need to continue to find ways to work together to shed light on this injustice and support individuals who have been impacted by exploitation in Canada and in the world."

To learn more about human trafficking and resources available in Canada visit: ��Ի��. If there is immediate danger or if you suspect a child under 18 is being trafficked, call 911 or your local police service. For information and support, call Canada’s confidential Human Trafficking Hotline: 1-833-900-1010 or visit .

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